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Scrapper Blackwell Lyrics

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resoplayer:
Hello,
I am quiet a new (french) member ,playing mostly on vintage "nationals".
Actually I am working on the Blackwell's stuff "trouble blues" &" D blues lyrics" (which are quiet the same material), and I need the lyrics...
If someone can help me...
Thanks,

Johnm:
Hi Pascal,
Welcome to Weenie Campbell!  Here are lyrics for "Trouble Blues, Part 1" and "Trouble Blues, Part 2".  Places in the lyrics that I am not sure of are enclosed in bent brackets



   "Trouble Blues, Part 1"
   When trouble started, it stopped at my front door
   I've had more troubles than ever in my life before
   CHORUS:  I wonder why trouble keeps on worryin' me
   I'd just soon have my body, baby, buried in the sea

   I had trouble this mornin', mailman didn't leave no mail
   I can't see my baby, she's all locked up in jail
   CHORUS

   SOLO  Play it Mr. Daddy.  Lord, I'm so blue!

   When trouble starts, it lasted so long
   Look like everything happen, and everything goes wrong
   CHORUS

   Tell me, baby, what trouble have done to me
   Come and got my regular, then took my used-to-be
   CHORUS

   SOLO

   "Trouble Blues, Part 2"



   I can get money, but trouble won't let it stay
   Trouble gets on me and my money gets away
   CHORUS

   Trouble in the morning, noon and night
   Seem like I'm treated every way but right
   CHORUS

   SOLO:  Play it Mr. Scrapper, that's too tight!  Why, you ought to quit it!

   When trouble gets on me it never ends
   I get out of one thing, and back into something else again
   CHORUS

   Nobody knows the trouble I do see
   Nobody knows but the good Lord and me
   CHORUS:

   SOLO

All best,
Johnm

resoplayer:
Thanks a lot Johnm,
If I can do something for you next time...(Edith Piaf or  any Maurice Chevalier, tino Rossi lyrics???
XXXX
Pascal

Johnm:
Hi all,
I've been thinking about how relatively under-represented the work of Scrapper Blackwell is on the site, and thought to transcribe the lyrics to some of his songs and talk a bit about his music.  "Penal Farm Blues" was chosen to open the program of the old Yazoo album, "The Virtuoso Guitar of Scrapper Blackwell".  Scrapper played it out of E position in standard tuning, a playing position that in his years of recording with Leroy Carr he rarely used.  Despite that, he shows a mastery of the position, as well as an approach that I can't recall hearing earlier players use and a corresponding different sound.  Scrapper plays so richly behind his singing and had enough verses to sing that he chose not to play a solo.  He pronounces "penal" with a short "e" sound, to rhyme with fennel.  It should be noted, too, what a great singer he was--I can appreciate how difficult it must have been to be noticed as a singer when you hung out with Leroy, but Scrapper had a great vocal instrument and was a soulful singer, too.



Early one morning, on my way to the penal farm
Early one morning, on my way to the pental (sic) farm
Baby, all locked up, and ain't done nothin' wrong

Loaded in the dog wagon, and down the road we go
Loaded in the dog wagon, and down the road we go
Ah, baby, oh, baby, you don't know

Into the office and then to the bathhouse we go
Into the office and then to the bathhouse we go
Then with a light shower, baby, we change our clothes

All last night, baby, it seemed so long
All last night, oh baby, it seemed so long
All locked up, I ain't done nothin' wrong

I'll tell you people, the penal farm is a lonesome place
I'll tell you people, penal farm's a lonesome place
And no one's there, to smile up in your face

Oh, baby, baby, it won't be so long now
Oh, baby, baby, it won't be so long now
Before your daddy, he'll be coming home

Oh, baby, baby, won't you come after me?
Oh, baby, baby, won't you come after me?
My time is up and penal farm has set me free

All best,
Johnm

dj:
Wow, that's a nice set of lyrics, John.  Recorded at the same June 1928 Vocalion session in Indianapolis as Leroy Carr's first recordings, it suggests that both Leroy and Scrapper were accomplished songwriters at the time of their first session. 

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